Mattress-making machine



Sepe 1s. 1925.

' J. D. 'PIERCE MATTRESS IKING CHINE Fried Feb. 19. 1920 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 h.. .hz

IIL! l Il lli MDN MN www www Sept 15, 192s.

J. D. PIERCE IATTRBSS IAKING IACHIII `Fi10d Feb. 19. 1920 8 Shesshet 2 'sept 15; 1925.`

' J.D. PIERCE nrrnss KING-lucarne med nb; l. lsazo e sheets-sheet 4' 4MM du mnu 1,553,836 J. D. PIERCE IATTRESS IAKING MACHINE riudreb. 19. 1920 e suegra-sheet s Sept' 15. 1925.

Sept.- n15, 192s.

J. D. QIERCE MATTRESS IAKINQ MACHINE Filed Feb. 19. 1920 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 sept. 15,1925. 1,553,836 I J; D. PIERCE MATTRESS MAKING )IAGHINE 'mea Feb. 19. 19:20v 8 sheetsnnt '1 IIIIIlllllllllllllllllllll Pac-aa sept. 15. 192s.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN D. PIERCE, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO COMBINATION WOODWORKING MACHINE C0., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

MATTRESS-MAKING MACHINE.

Application led February 19, 1920.y Serial No. 359,923.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN D. PIERCE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and Sta-te of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Mattress-Making Machines, of which the following is a full, clear. concise, and exact description, reference emg had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My' invention relates to apparatus for makingqnattresses, pads, cushions and similar artlcles.

One of the objects of the invention 1s to provide a simple and practical machine for manufacturing bed mattresses and similar articles.

Another object of the invention is to make mattresses or similar articles automatically and in'regular and rapid succession, supplying the machine with the raw material of which the articles are to be made and with- Vdrawing the articles in a nearly completed condition.

Other objects of the invention will appear and be pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an end portion of a machine for making mattresses or like articles embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the other end portion of the machine;

Fig. .3 is a plan view of a part of the machine;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a portion of that part of the machine which is shown in Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section taken on line 5-5 in Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is an elevation of the portion of the machine shown at the left handv end of Fig. 2;

- Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on line 7-7 in Fig. 2;

Fig.Y 8 is a view of a modification of the arrangement shownv in Fig. 6; Fig. 9 is a vertical section 9 9 1n Fig. 2;

- Fig. 10 is a cross section of a detail of construction; and

Fig. 11 is an elevation of a detail of construction. o

Referring to the drawings and especially to Figs. 1 and 2, I show a machine having taken on line' machine which end is shown in Fig. 1, there is assembled the mechanism for holding and preliminarily feeding the material of which the mattresses or other articles are to be made. In the right hand end of the machine which is shown in Fig. 2, there is the mechanismr for actually making the mattress from said material and delivering the nearly completed articles.

Referring first t'o Fig. l, there is shown a series of vertically arranged `belts or like devices 5-5, six being shown in the present machine. TheseV belts 5 are provided at intervals, with claws or hooks 6-6 which provide holders for the sticks or rods 7 on which the mattress material 8 is rolled. These holders 6-6 are disposed at intervals on said belts 5 and bundles or rolls of the material 8 are supported in said holders 6 by said belts 5 in position one above another. In the drawings each belt 5 is shown pnovided with two rolls 8. It is understood that the belts 5 extend upwardly and may be as long as desired so as to carry as many rolls 8 as desired, and that additional belts may`be used if desired.

The material from the rolls 8 is fed horizontally from the lowermost rolls, the strip. of material over the lefthandmost roll 8 being lowermost and the strips of material over the rolls successively to the right being next in position above said lowermost strip. Thus the strips from the six lowermost rolls come into position one above another in a horizontal manner as well shown in F ig.' l, and these strips so assembled form a continuous body or length of mattress material made Vup of six layers arranged one above the other.

the end-of the preceding roll, whereby each strip or layer 1s kept continuous, made up of a series of strips one after the lgther. The bundles or rolls are in various degrees run out at different times, whereby the joints between successive strips forming each layer of the mattress body are staggered with ref'- erence to one another, and hence the mattress body is practically continuous with joints here and there, separated from one another, in the different layers.

The belts 5 are shown preferably composed of sprocket chains and mounted at their lower ends on sprocket wheels 10 carried on shafts 11, which latter are suitably mounted in the framework in the machine.

The continuous length of material for the mattresses rests upon a traveling belt or platform 12 which is mounted at one end on a roller 13 and at the other end on a roller 14. There are intermediate supporting rollers 15 located underneath the material holding devices, and also a series of rollers 16 arranged close together and at the right of said rolleIS 15; i l

There is also another set ofV rollers 17 mounted above the rollers 16 but arranged at an inclination to the latter. These rollers 16 and 17 serve to compress the layers of material 8 8 and reduce the thickness of the same. A substantial reduction in thickness is preferably secured, as shown by reference to the right hand end of Fig. 1, and the left hand end of Fig. 2. Both sets of rolls 16 and 17 are preferably power driven or rotated so as to advance the material and compress it as it moves from left to right, referring to'Figs. `1 and 2. To such end, driving mechanism is p provided as best shown in Fig. 6. The traveling belt 12 is arranged to travel on top of the rolls 16 and over the end roll 14 which is on a shaft driven preferably by achain 20 from a power shaft 21. The rotation of the roll 14 causes the movementof the belt 12 and the upper part of said belt travels over the tops of the rolls 16 and underneath the mattress material, advancing the latter as said upper reach or stretch of said belt 12 advances. The shaft carrying. roll 14 is gear connected by gears 22 with a shaft carrying a roll 17, situated immediatelyabove the roll 14. A belt 24 passes over the roll 17 and also above and below rolls 17, the left-hand-- most roll 17 being adjustable to take up slack of belt 24. The roll 17 is thus driven ing belts cooperating therewith, thus serving.

to advance and compress the mattress material from the thick conditionA shown in Fig.-

1 to the relatively thin condition shown in Fig. 2.

After passing between vthe rolls 14 and 17', the length of mattress material passes between two other sets of rolls 27 and y28. There are-preferably a, substantial number, as for example, seven, rolls in each of these sets 27 and 28, and if desired these two trains of rolls may be provided with belts as the rolls 16 and 17 are.

Above the rolls 27 is a reel 29 and below the rolls 28 is another reel 30, and these reels 29 and 30 are provided with cloth 31 which' is adapted to form the outside of the mattress filling, but inside of the ticking. The cloth 31 is extended from the reels 29 and 30 running from the reel 29 underneath the rolls 27'and between the same and the length of mattress material, and similarly the cloth 31 from the reel 30`extends upwardly and over the tops of the rolls 28 and between said rolls and the length of mattress material. Thus the rolls 27 and 28V grip and advance the two strips of cloth 31 along with the length of mattress material which is interposed between them. The rolls 27 and 28 are driven by a chain 32 driven by the main drive shaft 33 (Fig. 4), the chain 32 passing over and driving a` sprocket wheel 34 on the shaft28` carrying the endmost roll of the series, 28. Said shaft 28 is provided with a sprocket wheel 36 which drives a sprocket chain 37 meshing with sprocket wheels 38 on the shafts'carrying said rolls 28. The upper reach or stretch of the chain 37 engages said sprocket wheels 38 so as to drive said rolls 28, whereas the lower reach or stretch of said chain 37 is held away from said sprocket wheels 38 by a small idler 40,-thereby preventing interference between said chain 37 and the under teeth of said wheels 38. The upper rolls 27 are driven by a sprocket chain 41 which engages the upper sides of sprocket wheels 42'-42 on the shafts carrying said rolls 27. The right hand upper sprocket 42 is driven by a gear 43 which is inv turn driven by a gear 43a' on the shaft carrying the right hand roll 28.

yFurther along to the right, referring to Fig. 2, there are other sets of rolls 47 and 48, 49 and 50, and 51 and 52. Each of these sets or trains of rolls preferably has a separate belt (not shown). Between the rolls 47 and 49 there is a stitching device 53 for stitching or sewing the various layers of material together. Between the rolls 49 and 51 there is a cuttin device 55, for cutting the continuous lengt of material into pieces or lengths each sufficient for a mattress. Beyond or to the right of the rolls 51 and 52 the mattress is projected through a funnel int-o an outer covering or tick arranged on the outside of said funnel, making it nearly ready for use and is then discharged. u

Reference will now be made to the stitchingr mechanism 53.by which the layers of cured to eac felt or similar material forming the continuous length for the mattress are stitched together. This stitching mechanism is shown more in detail in Figs.- 4, 7i and 11. It comprises a plurality `of stitching devices or needles 60 carried at the ends of the vertically reciprocating rods 61 which latter are arranged to slide in suitable apertures or guideways in a cross beam or frame 62f The rods 61 are operated by a series of cams 63-63mounted on a rotary shaft 6 4 and having annular recesses 65 in which projections 66 on the upper ends of the rods 61 fit andwork. Thus the rotation of the shaft 64 will cause the cams 63 to raise and lower the rods 61 and thereby operate the stitching devices or needles 60. The shaft 64 is-rotated by means of a master wheel 68 mounted on a shaft 69 supported by pillars 70 rising from the machine frame. This master wheel 68 is provided with a series of sets of gear teeth 71-- 71 and 72-72. The rotary shaft 64 is provided with agear 73 adapted to mesh with and be operated by the gear teeth 71 and 72. Thus as the wheel 68 rotates the sets of teeth 71 and 72 will engage the gear 73 and rotate the shaft 64'so as to operate the stitching devices 60, each set of teeth 71 and 72 beingcapable of giving the shaft 64 onecomplete rotation and thereby imparting one complete Vertical reciprocation or stitching movement to the needles 60.

The-sets of teeth 72-72 on the wheel 68 are preferably located at about equal distance from one another so that the stitches resulting from these teeth will be separated about the same distance in the body material of the mattress. The teeth 71-71-however are closer together and to the adjacent sets .of teeth 72, so that. there will be two stitches taken close to one another and4 also close to the other stitches, so that when the continuous length of material is cut into different parts or sections to make up theindividual mattresses, these individual sections will each be provided with a stitch quite close to the line of the cut and therefore close to the end of the cut sections of material, these extra stitches being for, the purpose of -fas tening the loose ends of the threads.v

There is also preferablyprovided in connection with this stitching mechanism a;

presser plate 75 located just above the mattress material (Fig. 7), and having apertures through which pass the needles 60.

'This presser plate is preferably connected with mechanism by which it may be automatically lowered to come in contact with and press upon the top surface of the mattress material, just prior to keach stitching operation. This mechanism comprises'vertically reci rocating rods 76-7 6, one seli end of the presser plate 75 and each rod 76 being operated bly a cam 77 also mounted on the rotary vshaft 64, the rods 76 having pins 78 traveling in annular recesses 79 in the cams 77, The pins 78 move in guideways or slots 80 .(Figs. 4 and 7) and said rods 76 are also preferably provided with other pins 8 1-81 which also travel in the slots or guideways 80 and serve to guide s vplate 75 just before each stitching operation, so that the material is compressed and firmly held while being stitched.

As previously explained, there are a series of rolls 47 at one side of the stitohing'mechanism and another series 49 at the other side of the same, as well as other series 48 and 50, respectively, below the rolls 47 and 49. These rolls` are driven by suitable gear and sprocket chain arrangements, as shown .in Fig. 4, there being sprocket wheels 84-84 on the rolls 47, sprocket wheels 85 on the rolls 48, sprocket. wheels 86 on the rolls 49, sprocket wheels 87 on the rolls 5() and a sprocket chain 88 cooperating with the sprocket wheels 84 and 86 and another sprocket sprocket wheels 85 and 87. By this arrangement all the rolls above mentioned are rotated simultaneously to advance the continuous length of mattress material.

During each stitching Aoperation it is desirable to stop the advance movement of the continuous length of material so that the stitching may not be interfered with, and tosuch end I preferably provide means for automatically stopping that part of the material being stitched just prior to each stitch. This mechanism is best shown in .Figs 4, 7 and 11. It comprises a horizontally arranged stop pin 93 mounted in bearings 94-94 and adapted to slide back and forth so that its end may be engaged with and disengaged from the righthandmost sprocket 86.. This pin is controlled and actuated by a vertically arranged lever 95 havingla slot 96 in which a pin 97 on the end of the rod 93 fits and works. The lever 95 is pivoted at 98 and its upper end'95a extends up alongside the master wheel 68. wheel is provided with projecting members 99 forming abutments adapted to strike the upper end 95 of said lever 95 and thereby tilt or swing the same, the result of which isA to actuate the rod 93 to cause it to engage the aforesaid sprocket86. A spring 100 is carried by the rod 93 and arranged to cooperate with one of the bearings 94 and also with the collar 101 fast on the rod 93, said spring 100 being adapted to retract the pin 93 by'pushing it away from the sprocket 86. The projecting members 99 on the wheel 68 chain 89 cooperating with the This are located adjacent the various sets of teeth 71, 72, so that the lever 95 will be actuated and the rod 93 moiled to engage and stop the sprocket 86 and the sprockets 84, 85 and 87 connected with it by gears or chains as previously described, thereby stopping the advance movement of the mattress material just prior to each operation of the stitching mechanism. The stoppage of the sprocket wheels 8.4, 85, 86 and 87, during the stitching operation is permitted by suitable' joints or connections in the power transmitting train to said sprockets, so as to allow said sprockets to be stopped when desired bythe reciprocating pin or plunger 93 as previously described, without any breakage or interference with the rest of the mechanism,

and also to permit said sprockets to be' turned or rotated at a momentarily higher speed when said pin or plunger 93 is withdrawn or retracted to exactly make up for the time lost by the stoppage.

As an effective arrangement for accom-A plishing this result, I show (Figs. 9 and 10) a spring joint or connection on the shaft of the endmost roll of the series 28, from which power is transmitted to the rolls 48 by means of sprocket chain 89, Fig. 4, running over a .sprocket 102, which latter is mounted on a sleeve 103 loose on the shaft of said roll 28. A spring 104 forms a connection between the sprocket 38 and said sleeve 103, whereby said sleeve 103 with its sprocket 102 will be rotated by the shaft 28 under ordinary circumstances, but will be allowed to stop, permitting the shaft 28 to rotate without it,

when said sleeve 103 is held against vrotation by the insertion of the pin or plunger 93 between the teeth of the sprocket 86. The end roll 48 is also provided with a loose sleeve like the one shown in Figs. 9 and 10. These two loose sleeves are connected by a sprocket chain 48. v

lVhen the rolls 47, 48, 49, 50, 51 and 52 are stopped for stitching purposes, the rolls 27 and 28 are not necessarily stoppedbut are preferably permitted to continue their rotation. This causes the mattress material t0 be somewhat humped between the rolls 27,

28, and 47, 48, as shown in Fig. 2. This, however, is simply a temporary bending which is more or less straightened out when 107 mounted on a cross shaft 108, straps 109 enclosing said eccentrics and being pivotally connected with links 110, which are in turn pivotally connected as at 111 with the top of said support 105.' The shaft 108 is rotated at intervals in order to yeffect a complete downward and upward movement of the cutting device 55-to perform a complete cutting operation. This rotation of the shaft 108 is accomplished by a trip or clutch device operated by the master wheel 68, which mechanism is best shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 1l. The master wheel 68 is provided with a projection 113 which is adapted to strike a pin v114 on one end of a levei` 115 pivoted at 11G. The lever` 115 is connected with a rod or link 116a and the latter is in turn connected with a rocker arm 117. This rocker 117 is connected with a clutch device 122 which is arranged in connection with a belt driven fiy wheel 123 in such a manner that when the rod 115a is actuated the clutch device 122 will clutch the wheel 123 onto the shaft 108 and thereby rotate the same, the wheel 123 normally rotating loosely on said shaft 108.4 Thus when the projection 113 strikes against the pin 114, the clutch device 122 is actuated and the shaft 108 rotated, thereby causing said shaft 108 to be rotated and to aetuate the cutting blade 55, causing the same to de- -scend and immediately rise, thereby performing a complete cutting operation. The projection 113 thereupon travels a complete cycle vwith the wheel 68, and then again strikes the pin 114, thereby causing another cutting operation by the blade 55, enough of the continuous length of material for a mattress having advanced in the meantime.

A plate 130 is preferably arranged above the material and is provided with a-slot, not shown, for receiving the cutting blade 55 for guiding t-he blade in its vertical'movement. Located below the plate 130 on the lower side of the material is a support 131 having a groove formed on its upper face 1n vertical alinement with the cutting blade for receiving the cutter at the limit of its down stroke.

At the right of the cutting blade 55 (Fig. 2) the rolls 51 and 52 are located as previously mentioned, and these rolls are also driven by the sprocket chains 88 and 89, previously referred to, said rolls 4,51 and 52 being provided with sprockets 133 and 134, respectively (Fig. 4). The rolls 51 are preferably set at an inclination relatively to one another as shown in Fig. 2, whereby the mattress material is still further compressed. Said material is then advanced into the funnel 135 and then emerges from said funnel 135 and is pushed into a bag or tick 137 adapted to form the outside cover of al mattress. This bag or tick 137 is slipped over the funnel 135 so that the materal in emerging from the same passes into said bag or tick and pulls the same over and off of the said funnel 135, the mattress material expanding somewhat so as to fill the same and thereby make a firm and substantial mattress. As soon as one mattress has nearly emerged from the funnel 135, it is qluickly removed and another .cover is s ipped over the funnel 135, in time to receive and cover the next material as it advances, thereby causing said cut sections or portions of the mattress material to emerge as nearly complete mattresses.

A shelf or table 140 is preferably placed adjacent to the funnel at the right hand end of the machine (as in Fig. 2), so that the finished and completed mattresses can be p moved onto this table 140 quickly and may be removed from the same ,and transferred as desired.

Side guides or guide plates 141 are arranged along thel opposite sides of the ma,- chine so as to hold the material against being crushed out sidewise.

Referring to Fig. 8 I show a modified arrangement of the mechanism shown in Fig. 6. The mechanism shown in Fig. 8 is intended especially for making of mattresses or other articles out of excelsior, moss, husks, fibre, or other soft material not fclted in rolls, and having la ers of felt on the top and bottom, instead of ayers of felt throughout as in the apparatus already described. In Fig. 8 I show a-set or series of lower rolls 16 and an upper set or series of rolls 17 which are similar to Fig. 6, the excelsior 8 being fed between said two sets or trains of rolls. Upper and lower layers of felt 8a and 8b respectively are fed.' above and below the excelsior 8 and strips of cloth 31 are fed so as to come into position above and below the layers of felt 8a and 8", respectively, the sameas in Fig. 6. f Rolls 27a and 28 are arranged above and below the layers of felt 8a and 8b, in the'same manner as 27 and 28 of the other arrangement, as shown in Fig. 2. Thus thelayers of felt 8 and 8b may be accommodated and may also be compressed with the excelsior by the rolls 16 and 17 as well as the rolls 27 and 28. Plates 142 are interposed between the felt layers 8 and 8b and the rolls 17 and 16 respectively, so as to protect said :telt and layers from the oppositely moving belts on said rolls. Thus mattresses made of eXcelsior vcovered top and bottom with felt may be made.- It is evident that one layer of Afelt may b e omitted for-a still cheaper construction of mattress.

It will be understood that changes 'and modilications may be `made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1.-A machine of the class specified comprising means for assembling a plurality of strips of material to form a single continuous length, means for advancing said continuous length, means for stitching the same, means for cutting the snme into portions or sections for mattresses, and means for encasing the cut portions or sections to form nearly completed mattresses.

strips of mattress material, said holding means being adapted to permit the incorporation of said strips into a single continuous length of materialadapted for mattresses, means for continuously advancing said continuous length, means for compressing the same as it advances, means for stitching said continuous length at intervals, and means for stopping only that portion of said continuous length which is being stitched.

4. A machine of the class specified comprising means for holding a plurality of strips of mattress material, said holding means being adapted Ato permit the incorporation of said strips into a single continuous length of material adapted for mattresses, means for continuously advancing said continuous length, means for compressing the same as 1t advances, means for stitching said continuous length at intervals,

means for cutting said continuouslength into portions or sections adapted for mattresses, and means for stopping only that portion of the strip which is to be stitched and cut. 4

5. A machine of the class specified comprising means for holding 'a plurality of strips of mattress material, said holding means being adaptedto permit the incorporation of said strips into a single' continuous length of material adapted for mattresses, and means for advancing said continuous length,- said advancing means comprising 4upper and lower series of rolls of equal sizes, the rolls of one series being ar- 1 20 ranged progressively nearer those of the -other series in the direction of advance of the material so as to be adapted to compress said material asit advances.

6. A machine of the class specified comprising means for holding a plurality of strips of mattress material, said lholding means being adapte to permit the incorporation of said strips into a single continuous length of material adapted for mattresses, said holding means comprising a series of belts, each provided with a plurality of holders for supporting bundles of material, said holders being arranged lat intervals on said belts.

7. A machine of the class specified comprising means for'holding a plurality of strips of mattress material, said holdingV means being adapted to permit the incorporation of said strips into a single continuous length of material adapted for mattresses, said holding means comprising a series 4of belts, each provided with a plurality of holders for supporting bundles of material, said holders being arranged at intervals on said belts, said belts being arranged vertically and provided with rotary members at their lower ends.

8. A machine of the class specified comprising means for supporting a plurality of bundles of mattress material strips, said supporting means being adapted to permit the incorporation of said strips into a single continuous length of material for mattresses, means for advancing and compressing said continuous length of material comprising upper and lower sets of rolls arranged adjacent to said bundle supporting means, said sets of rolls being inclined relatively to one another, and other sets of rolls, one set being arranged above and the other below said length of material, said last mentioned sets of rolls being further removed from said bundle supporting means.4 y

' 9. A machine of the class specified comprising means for supporting a plurality of undles of mattress material strips, said supporting means being adapted to permit the incorporation of said strips into a single continuous length of material for mattresses, means for advancing and compressing said continuous length of material comprlsing upper and lower sets of rolls a1- ranged adiacent to saidv bundle supporting means, said sets of rolls being inclined relatively to one anotheryand other sets of rolls,

one set being arranged above and the other below said length of material, said last mentioned sets of rolls being further removed from said bundle supporting means, ang means for driving said various sets of ro s.

l0. A machine of the class specified comprising means for supporting a plurality of bundles of mattress material strips, said supporting means being adapted to permit the incorporation of said strips into a single continuo-us length of material for mattresses, means for advancing and compressing said continuous length of material comprising -upper and lower sets ofrolls arranged ad- ]acent to said bundle supporting means, said sets of rolls being inclined 'relatively to one another, and other sets of rolls, one set belng arranged above and the other bef porting means being adapted to permit the' incorporation of said strips into a single continuous length of material for mattresses,

means for advancing and compressing said continuous length of material comprising 'upper and lower sets of rolls arranged adj acent to said bundle supporting means, said sets of rolls being inclined relatively to one another, and other sets of rolls, one -set being arranged above and the other belowl said length of material, said last mentioned sets of rolls being further removedfrom said bundle supporting means, and means for supporting other strips of mattress material above and below said continuous length of material, said last mentioned supporting means being adapted to permit the mattress material which it supports to be fed to the opposite sides of said continuous length of material between the same and said second mentioned sets of rolls.

12. The combination with means for advancing a continuous length of mattress material of means for automatically stitching -ing the same at intervals, said stitching means comprising stitchingdevices, a single rotary shaft provided with eccentrics for actuating all of said stitchingdevices and a rotary member provided with means for intermittentl rotating said shaft, said rotar y member being `adapted to actuate said rotary shaft a plurality of successive times with the same intervening interval, and also to actuate the same a predetermined number of times in succession with a less intervening interval.

-14. The combination with means for advancmg a continuous length of mattress ing the same at intervals, said stitching 'actuated material advancing means comprising a plurality of stitching devices, a plurality of eccentrics for actuating the same and means for actuating said eccentrics in unison, said means comprising a single rotary shaft carrying said eccentrics `and a rotary member provided with means for intermittently rotating said shaft, said intermittently rotating mechanism comprising a pinion on said rotary shaft and a plurality of sets of teeth arranged on said rotary member and separated from one another, certain of said .sets of teeth being separated by a uniform interval and certain of the same being separated from one another and from said first mentioned sets by a less intervah 15.. The combination with continuously actuated material advancing means, of stitching means, means for stopping only that portion of the material to be stitched for the stitching operation and mechanism for actuating both the stitching and stopping means comprising a rotary member provided with means for actuating the stitching means at intervals and also provided with mechanism for actuating the stopping means during substantially the intervals of operation of the stitching means, means on said rotary member fo'r actuating the stitching means comprising a plurality of separated sets of gear teeth adapted to cooperate With a pinion on a rotary shaft carrying eccentrics for operating stitching devices.

16. The combination with continuously means of stitching means, means for stopping only that portion of the material to be stitched for the stitching operation and mechanism for actuating both the stitching and stopping means comprising a rotary member provided with means for actuating 'the stitching means at intervals, and also provided With mechanism` for actuating the stopping means during substantially the intervals of operation of the stitching means, the mechanism for actuating the stopping means comprising projections on said rotary member anda lever actuated by said projections and combined with mechanism for stopping the material advancing means.

17. The combination with continuously actuated material advancing means, of stitching ,means, means for stopping only that portion of the material to be stitched for the stitching operation and mechanism for actuatingboth the stitching and stopping means comprising arotary member provided with means for actuating the stitching means at intervals and also provided With mechanism for actuating the stopping means during substantially the intervals of operation of the stitching means,

means onsaid rotary member for actuating the stitchingmeans comprising a plurality of separated sets of gear teeth adapted to cooperate with a pinion on a rotary shaft carrying eccentrics for operating stitching devices, the mechanism for actuating the stopping means comprising projections on said rotary member and a lever actuated by said projections and combined with mechanism for stopping the material advancing means.

18. The combination with continuously actuated material advancing' means, of stitching means and means for stopping only that portion of the material to be stitched during the stitching operations, said stitching and stopping means comprising a rotary member provided with a plurality of sets of gear teeth separated from one another and a rotary shaft carrying eccentrics connected 'for operating stitching devices, said rotary shaft being also provided with a pinion adapted to be connected by said sets of gear teeth one after the other,

means for stopping the advance of the material during stitchingl operations, said means comprising a rotary member 68 having its periphery provided with a plurality of sets of gear teeth 72 separated by uniform intervals from one another and also provided With other sets of teeth 71 separated by less intervals, a rotary shaft 64 carrying eccentrics connected with stitching devices, said shaft 64 also carrying a pinion' 73 and adapted to be engaged and actuated by the gear teeth 72 and 71, projections 99 on the side of said member 68, said projections having inclined ends, and a pivoted lever 95" having a sliding pivotal connection with a slide rod 93 Which latter is.` adapted to act against and engage an operating member forming part of the material advancing means. f

20. The combination with means for propellingl a strip of material, of a rotary member 68 provided With a plurality of sets of gear teeth 72 separated by substantially uniform intervals vfrom one another, and also provided with other sets of gear teeth 71 separated from one another by less intervals,v

Y bery provided with projecting members, a

-pivoted lever having one of its ends adapted to be actuated by said members, a spring controlled slide rod connected with said lever, and a rotary gear forming a part of the propelling means for said strip and located in position to be engaged and held against rotation by said rod.

22. The combination of means for holdin a plurality of strips of raw material, said holding means being adapted to permit said strips to be incorporated into a continuous length of material lit for mattresses, means for compressing said strips when arranged in said continuous length, two sets of advancing means, one set adjacent to said compressing means and another set removed 'from the -same with space between it and said other set, means for stitching said material, said stitching means being associated only with said remote set of advancing devices, and means for stopping only the set of advancing devices associated with the stitching means while the stitching operations are taking place.

23. The combination of two sets of material advancing rolls, said sets being separated from one another with a space between, means for stitching the material advanced by said rolls, said stitching; means associated with one of said sets ofrolls, andA means for stopping only said last mentioned sets of rolls during stitching operations, and means for automatically taking up slack in the material after stitching.

24. The combination with means for hold'- ing a plurality of strips of mattress material, said holding means being adapted to permit said strips to be incorporated into a single continuous length, means for compressing said material when incorporated into such continuous length, a set of rolls i s located adjacent said compressing means and adapted to continuously advance the material from said compressing means, a second set of rolls in advance of said rst mentioned set of rolls and separated from the same by a space, means for driving said two sets of rolls, stitching mechanism associated with the advanced set of rolls, means for actuating said stitching mechanism, and mechanism for stopping only said advanced set of rolls during stitching operations.

25. The combination with means for holding a plurality of strips of mattress material, said holding means being adapted to permit said strips to be incorporated .into a single continuous length, means for compressing said material when incorporated into such continuous length, a set of rolls located adjacent said compressing means and adapted to advance the material from said compressing means, a second set of rolls in advance of said first mentioned set of rolls and separated from the same b'y a space, means for driving said two sets of rolls, 'stitching mechanism associated with the advanced set of rolls, means for actuating said stitching mechanism, and mechanism for stopping said advanced set of rolls during stitching operations, said stopping means comprising means for engaging and stopping one of said rolls.

26. The combination with means for holding a plurality of strips of mattress material, said holdingmeans being adapted to permit said strips to be incorporated into a single continuous length, means for' compressing said material when incorporatedy into such continuous length, a set of rolls located adjacent said compressing means and adapted to advance the material from said compressing means, a second set of rolls in advance of said first mentioned set oi rolls and separated from the same by a space, means for driving said two sets of rolls, stitching mechanism associated with the advanced set of rolls, means for actuating said stitching'mechanism, and mechanism for stopping said advanced set of rolls during stitching operations, said stitching and stopping means comprising a rotary member provided with a set of actuating devices arranged at intervals and adapted for operating the stitching mechanism and also provided with a second set of devices arranged at intervals and adapted tinuously advancing a continuous strip of mattress material, means for stitching the same, means for cutting said material into sections for mattresses and means for stopping a portion of the advancing means to arrest only that portion of the strip being stitched during the operation of the stitching and cutting means.

28. The combination with means for continuously advancing the mattress material, of means for stitching said material with a plurality of stitches for each mattress length, means for cutting said material into lengths for mattresses and mechanism for stopping that portion of the advancing means which controls the 'portion of material being stitched during each stitching tion, said last .mantiene means .comprisin 4 1ty of stitches located at intervals trans-v versely of the length thereof and also close to the ends, and means for cutting said material between the transverse end stitches of adj acentarticle lengths. l

31. The combination` with means for continuously advancing a -continuous length of material to lbe made ,into separate articles means for roviding each article length with a plurality oftransverse stitches located at'intervals along the length thereof and lalso close to the ends to define an article length, means for cutting said material between-the end stitches of adjacent article lengths, and means for stopping the portion of the advancing means which acts only on the part of the material being stitched for each stitching operation.

32. The combinata-ion with means for continuously advancin a continuous length of rality of'stltches, means for cutting sai material to be ma eginto separate articles, means for providing Aeach article len th with a plurality of transverse stitches ocated at intervals -along the length thereof and also close to the ends to define separate articles, means for transversely `cutting said material between the end stitches of adjacent article lengths, means forstoppingonly that part of the advancing means which acts on the portionofl the material being stitched for each stitching operation, and meansfor actuating the cutting mechanism during one 4 of the periods of stoppage for stitching pun-- poses. i p 33. The .combination wlth means for advancing a continuous len h of material to lbe cut into separatefartic es, of mechanism for providing each article length'` with'a plui length into sections suitable forthe articles,

ed to mesh with a and the a rotary member provided with 'a p lurality. of actuating devices for- .voperatlng` "the stitching mechanism a plurality *of times during eachrotation of saidl member,said

member being also provided with ja' single actuating device for operating the .cuttin mechanism once in eachrotation of sai member, the stitching mechanism o erating devices comprising sets of gear teet 'adapt- `inion on a rota shaft part of t e stitching mec anism evice for operating'the cuttin mechanismv comprising aprojection on sai forming rotary member adapted to act upon mechanism controlling the operation of the cutting device.

34. The combination with means for advancing a continuous length of material to be cut into separate articles, of mechanism for providing `each article length with a plurality of stitches, means for cutting said len th into sections suitable for the articles,

an a rotary member provided with a plurality of actuating devices fon operating the stitching mechanlsm a pluralityof times during each rotation of said member, said member Vbeing also provided with a single actuating device for operating the cutting mechanism once in each rotation of said member, and mechanism for stopping the material'advancing means during each operation of the stitchin means, said rotary member being provide with a series of actuating devices adapted to operate said stopping means for each stitching operation.

35. The combination of a set ofrolls for advancing a continuous length of material to be cut for separate articles, a second set of rolls in advance of the first mentioned set, means associated with said second mentioned set of rolls for stitching each article length transversely a plurality of times at equal distant points and at other closer points,

means for stopping said second mentioned set of rolls during each stitching operation and meal/1s for cutting said material between the closer stitches into lengths for the several articles. l

36. The combination with means for holding a ,plurality of strips of material in such manner as to permit the incorporation of said strips into a single continuous length.-

'-of materlal suitable to be cut into sections for separate articles, means for compressing the continuous length formed by said strips of material when arranged in a continuous length, a set of rolls for continuously advancing said continuous length of material, said-set of rolls being adjacent to said compressing means, a second set of rolls in advance of said first mentioned set with a space between the vtwo sets, stitching mechamsm for stitchin said-continuous length of d material, means or atuating said stitching mechanism a plurality of times for each article` length to provide transverse stitches equi-distant apart and in pairs for defining a section, means for stopping only the second set of rolls during each stitching operation andmeans for cutting said continuous length between `said pairs ofstitches into sections for the severa articles. v

37. A machine of the class specified havin means for forming a seriesv of indivi ual mattresses from a plurality of'co 'tinuous strips of material and means for insorting said mattresses casings, said last mentoned means, comprising` a funnel shaped.`

. device and means for moving the mattresses through said device which is adapted to permitl the casings to be put over the mattresses so that the mattresses as they emerge from the funnel device Will be introduced into the casings and the latter pulled off over said device.

38. The combination of means for advancing a continuous length of materialfor separate articles, means for stitching the same, means for cutting said material into lengths for separate articles and means for applying casings or coverings to said lengths of materia-l after the same are cut.

39. The combination of means for advancing a continuous length of material for separate articles, means for stitchin the same, means for cutting said materia into lengths for separate articles and means for applying casings or coverings to said lengths of material after the same are cut, and means for compressing said material prior to the insertion of the same into said casings or coverings.

40. A machine of the class described hav- `ing means for continuously feeding and cut- JOHN D. PIERCE. 

